Veteran Central Coast Mariners defender Josh Rose has confirmed he will retire from playing at the end of the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Season.
The 36-year-old has enjoyed a successful career in the Hyundai A-League, making 216 appearances including 181 of those with the Mariners.
He is the club’s second-most capped player of all-time behind John Hutchinson.
The Mariners will dedicate their final game of the season – the Round 27 F3 Derby against Newcastle Jets – to the gifted left-back giving fans the chance to farewell one of the club’s greatest servants.
#ThanksRosey pic.twitter.com/6JaWClJjD4
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) April 5, 2018
“I want to thank every coach that I have had the privilege to play under and all the players I have been lucky enough to share a change room with,” Rose said.
“I want to thank all of the supporters of the clubs that I have been lucky enough to play at. Through the good times, through the bad times it’s always been the supporters who have patted me on the back and without that support, as players it’s impossible to achieve anything.
“More than anything, the Mariners supporters. I have spent seven years at this club and the support I have received has been absolutely incredible.
“You don’t understand how much that means to me. No matter what, the fans are there to lift me up and make it worthwhile putting this jersey on every week and give it everything for the Mariners.”
Rose arrived in Gosford in 2010 from Romanian club Universitatea Craiova and took out the club’s Mariners Medal as the player of the season.
While he was part of the team that lost the heartbreaking 2011 decider against Brisbane Roar, he was back there two years later when the Mariners won their maiden title by beating the Wanderers in the grand final.
“The Mariners football club is something that will be with me forever,” Rose said.
“I’ve spent so much time at this club and I’ve been able to achieve so much and forge friendships in this change room that I will keep forever.
“My three proudest moments with the Mariners are: the 2013 Grand Final win, qualifying for the Asian Champions League Round of 16 to face Guangzhou Evergrande and winning the Mariners Medal.
“Winning the Grand Final was three years in the making – losing to Brisbane Roar and failures like that can undo you or make you stronger, we were lucky enough to have a good enough group that it made us stronger and that Grand Final win even sweeter.”
